Combined closure and retaining device.



W. G. FRITSGHLE. COMBINED CLOSURE AND RETAINING DEVICE.

APPLICATION nun JULY 5', 1911.

1,1 15,656. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

THE NORRIS PETERS 6a., PHOTOLITHOQ WASHINGTUN. n. L

WILLIAM c. FRI'I'SGHLE, or VALLEY PARK, Mrssoniu.

COMBINED CLOSURE AND-RETAINING DEVICE.

Application filed July 5, 1911. Serial No. 636,926.

To all whom it mayooncern Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM Gp Finrscans, a citizen of the United States, residing at Valley Park, in the county of' St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Closures and Retaining Devices, of which the following is a specification.

An object of the invention is to provide a combined bottle closure and retaining device, particularly adaptable for use inconnection with bottles, to close and retain the. same in an upright position.

Among other features my invention em bodies a device for use in connection with a shelf ora bar in saloons and similar places where beverages are dispensed from bottles and like containers, my device being adapted to act as a stopper for a container and retain the same in position on the shelf or bar while at the same time the container can be easily and quickly removed from the shelf and as easily returned thereto.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a shelf on the bar, showing my device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical lmigitudinal sectional view of my combined closure and retaining device.

Referring more particularly to the views, l provide a retaining member 10, consisting of a flexible shank 11, and a flexible looped end 12, the shank 11 being provided with an aperture 13 at about its medialportion and the end of the shank 11 and the loop 12' being threaded as at 14:, 15 respectively.

Theadedly mounted on the looped body 12 is a stopper or cap 16, the mentioned cork being of any desired form and construction. The said retainer 10 at a point adjacent its lower terminal portion is provided with an enlargement disk 14', said'disk being formed integral with said member at av point above the plane of the support for limiting the downward movement of member. I

The lower end of the shank 11 is slidably passed through an opening 17 in a shelf 18,

i a collar 19, provided with an upper flange 20 and a lower flange 21 being preferably passed through the opening with the shank slidably inclosed in the collar as shown in Specification of Letters Patent.

the said retaining Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

i Fig. 2, th'e'upper fit flush withthe top of the shelf and the lower flange 21 being bent laterally to the collar 19-,a contractile spring 22 is mounted to encircle the shank 11, the upper end of cured to the flange 20 of the collar 19. Then the retaining body 10 has been arranged as mentioned, a nut 23,.is threadedly secured to the lowerend of the shank 11, the mentioned nut being adapted to normally abut against the flange 21 of the collar 19. c

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the retaining body 10 is normally held in its lowermost position by the spring 22, any upward movement of the retaining body being limited by the retaining nut 23. Now when it isdesired to position a bottle on the shelf 18 so that the stopper 16 will close the opening of the bottle or container, the upper end or head of the bottle is engaged with the stopper 16 and the base of the bottle is permitted to rest on the shelf 18 so that the bottle will be in vertical alinement with the stopper 16 and the vertical portion or end of the looped body 12; hen the bottle is positioned as mentioned, the retaining member 10 will be moved upwardly against the action of the spring 22 and thus, as will bereadily understood, a downward pressure will be exerted on the bottle by the stopper 16, thus substantially closing the bottle and retaining the same in rigid position.

When it is desired to remove abottle from engagement with the stopper 16, the bottle is grasped at the lower end and pulled out leasing the bottle from engagement with the stopper 16 as will be readily understood.

My device, as described, is adapted for use in connection with bottles of various sizes and shapes and although I have shown the aperture 18, it will be understood that a suitable stopflange or the like can be formed on the shankll to act as a stop for the upper end of the spring 22.

bar or can be used within a cabinet placed upon a bar and although for the purposepf describing. my combined closure and retaincollar to engage the under side of the shelf. Before the shank 11 is passed through the the spring being secured in the aperture 18 and the lower end of the spring being se-" upper end of the spring 22 received in the flange 20 being adapted to a wardly and away from the shelf, thus re- My device can be directly applied to a 7 ing device I have shown a particular construction thereof, it will be understood that the scope of the invention is defined in the appended claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, is 2- In acombined closure and retaining device, a retaining member including a flexible shank having an aperture therein at a point substantially medially of its length, and an integrally looped flexible body terminating downwardly and forwardly of said shank, the lower end of said shank being mounted to slidably extend through a support, a

* spring mounted to encircle the said shank and having one terminal thereof passing through the aperture of said shank, the opposite end of said spring being secured to the said support to normally retain said retaining member in its lowermost position 20 and preventing any accidental rotation of said shank, detachable means on the extreme lower end ofthe shank and below the plane of the support for limiting the sliding movement thereof, and a stopper mounted on the terminal of the downwardly and forwardly looped flexible body of the said retaining member and adapted for engagement with a container to close the sameland retain the container in an upright position on the support and in front of said shank.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM (J. FRITSCHLE.

WVitnesses F. H. Hosrnn, E. EDMONSTON, J r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

